So I’m Allergic To Wheat! Ctd

The in-tray is overflowing with tips on how to maintain my snacking habits. When I started this blog, I never really thought it would become an intensely personal aide. But the generosity and time of these many readers is something I'm deeply grateful for (and they may, of course, help others in the same wheat-free boat):

Being a gingersnap addict, I truly empathize on this point and direct you to the only somewhat passable substitute of Mi-Del Gluten Free Ginger Snaps (likely available at Whole Foods or other natural grocers – I used to get them at Yes! Organic Market on Columbia in Adams Morgan).

Another writes:

I know you're in northern Adams Morgan, but Columbia Heights has a Vegan bakery, Sticky Fingers, that sells all sorts of gluten-free sweet and savory foods – and they're actually good! I don't have any dietary restrictions, but I used to stop by all the time when I lived up there. And it would be pretty funny if you wrote your blog from a Vegan bakery; you would find something that trumps the effeteness of the petite vanilla bean scones.

I'm sure you are getting hit with wheat free-ers from every direction, but just wanted to say hello and thanks for running the link to my Gluten-free Petite Vanilla Scones about a year ago. My bakery business and I are both gluten-free as I have Celiac Disease. I would love to co-ordinate getting you a box of very delicious gluten-free treats, including petite vanilla scones, as I know that going wheat-free can be difficult both physically and emotionally. (My website is here, just so you know that I'm legit.) If you'd like some treats, let me know and I will get some to you ASAP!

Another:

One of your readers wrote about being "an asshole" eating out with a wheat allergy. Not long after my sister was diagnosed with celiac (and, yeah, it sucks) I got a job working in a backcounty hut where we serve a nightly meal family-style, and deal with food allergies and preferences when necessary. Hardly a night goes by where we're all forty-plus guests can dab the same meal. But, we don't think you're an asshole. You have an allergy; there's nothing you can do about that. We will refer to you as a glutard (not to your face, but in the kitchen: "three veggies, two lactards and a glutard") but we'll cook and serve your meal with a smile.

Another:

Just read your wheat allergy post and I can relate – after 37 years of suffering I found out I am massively allergic to RICE. Less than 1% of white people are; when I was younger they didn't even test for it. I have seasonal allergies, asthma, eczema and food allergies – since I quit eating rice three months back all have calmed down majorly. This year I barely had spring allergies, where last year I had steroid shots in the ER from them.

Also worth knowing allergies come and go. If you can get it all out of your system and bring your whole body's alert levels down it might disappear, or you could reintroduce it to your diet in tiny amounts to build immunity (like allergy shots). So this might be a hiccup, not a life changer.

Another:

Once you've been completely off wheat a while (the rash being gone), I suggest experimenting a bit with spelt-based products. Spelt is a form of wheat, but for a lot of us, it doesn't trigger the same response that the usual common wheats do. You might also discover that you've got a certain threshold. For instance, I can get away with the occasional cookie or even slice of pizza before there's any notable reaction.

Another:

I realize this may not matter much to you since you aren't a big imbiber, but your Celiac's Disease readers seem to be unaware that while beer can be made from wheat, such beers are usually designated as such (e.g. "weissbier" and "hefeweizen") and constitute a minority of the beer out there. The vast majority of the beer available in the USA is made from barley (another grass seed, but definitely not the same as wheat).